NEW 21ST CENTURY PEDAGOGY

We cannot teach today's children the way we were taught even when we were in school. Technology has been an important catalyst for that change. Today's children are surrounded with technology. They use it every day. I remember when my family first got a color TV, a clunky desktop computer, and a modem to access the Internet through AOL. I am a digital immigrant. I did not grow up with technology. My kids who are in their 20s did grow up with computers and technology. They are digital natives. They are comfortable texting instead of sending e-mails. They access the Internet on their iPhones. They "speak the language". I came to know it second-hand. How many of you are like me? How many of today's teachers are like me? (Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Prensky, 2001)

It's not about catching up. It IS about being willing to take risks, to try something new. It is also about changing from being teacher-centered to being student-centered--to coaching and facilitating rather than lecturing. It is about recognizing that learning is a social endeavor. We learn best when we share the experience. New technologies such as blogs, wikis, YouTube, Facebook, etc. are about creating and sharing knowledge. How can we tap into that phenomenon? I look forward to reading your reflections.

Please post your comments regarding what kind of pedagogy do we need in order to meet the needs of today's children. How does being a digital native/digital immigrant affect this pedagogy? Make sure you refer to the videos in your response. I am not wanting a discussion of the merits of technology. I am wanting a discussion of learning theories and instructional strategies.  Please make sure you click the comment button to respond. Do not create a new post.

A Child-Driven Education

Blogs and Wikis and Podcasts, Oh My!

The Horizon Report 2007 listed User Created Content (e.g. blogs, wikis, YouTube, Flickr) and Social Networking (e.g. Facebook) as the technology trends that would be impacting education within one year or less. Mobile phones and virtual worlds were two-three years out and massively multi-player educational gaming was four-five years out. That report was released five years ago.

What has been your experience with these technology tools? How have they impacted your personal life? What about your educational career? What do you see as barriers to their adoption in education?

Welcome

Welcome to our Educational Technology 271 class blog. I have created this blog as a way for us to use technology and forge new connections with our readings and projects.

Each week, I will post a prompt as a new blog entry and ask that you write an answer in the comments section.  Doing this will allow us to better share ideas and opinions about what we are learning. It is also a way for you to think critically about what you are learning and to make connections with what  you already know and how you might use this information in your classroom.

Just remember, I still expect you to follow all the typical rules of composition and writing. This is no place for text-message abbreviations or sloppy writing. You need to remember that what we say and do here is available for any of us to read - teachers, classmates, members of the community, even others in the world.